Anaconda still isn't quite doing the right thing in the GUI install with the Neomagic NM2160 which is in at least some of the Vaio 505 subnotes. During the install process, it detects as having only 256k of ram as opposed to 2.5 megs -- changed to 2 megs. Default X server pointed to is the XFree 3.3.6 server, but the 4.x server has worked pretty well for me throughout the beta thus far, and it's config file works right out of the installer. The 3.3.6 config file isn't in such good shape :( The best resolution of this imo is to point to the XFree4 server by default, but if there have been some problems with neomagic chips on XFree 4, the following probably need to be looked at /etc/X11/XF86Config is created with a DefaultColorDepth of 32bpp, which the amount of ram present can't ahndle at the highest resolution of 800x600. After changing the default depth to 16bpp, still only 640x480 is supported because the ranges given when selecting Generic 800x600 LCD panel don't encompass any of the 800x600 modelines. Simply changing the VertRefresh to be within the range of 60-65 instead of only 60 takes care of this (I've seen this one in the past on mine and other laptops and this fix seems to fix it across the board) Even if a 4.0 server is used by default with the NM, I still think the default 800x600 LCD panel modes for 3.3.6 are a little wacky and could hit people using other chipsets that hit the XFree 3.3.6 path.
This defect is considered MUST-FIX for Winston Gold-release
Is this improved any in RC1?
To be honest, I can't say -- RC1 came out right before I left for Linux World Expo and as the box is the only machine I have to check my email with while I'm out here and I've got no CD drive (forgot the CDs anyway.. *doh*) and the network connection to the show is saturated, I'm a little reluctant to try and test this until I get back to Raleigh on Friday... but, I will test it once I get back to Raleigh Friday night
Default modes allowed for 800x600 LCD panel are a lot better in RC1. Unfortunately, anaconda is still putting 'DefaultColorDepth 32' in the 3.3.6 config file and using 3.3.6 by default which just doesn't work at all with the amount of RAM the chip has
Note that "256 kB" of detected memory means that detection didn't succeed.
We're switching to XFree4 for neomagic now...
Looks good in RC2. My laptop now actually installs and starts X without my doing any tweaking of config files post-install which is nice :)